Things a Boss Should Never Say to an Employee
Bosses and managers cannot be dominant or arrogant in the office. If you are a boss or a manager yourself, here are a few tips on what bosses should never say to their employees.
1. “You don’t have a future in this company”
Telling an employee that he or she does not have a future in the company can be very demoralizing. An employee will not feel like working if there is nothing to look forward to in terms of his or her future at the company. Everyone works more efficiently when there is a goal and an employee will no longer feel like putting in the hard work and effort if he or she does not see a permanency in employment.
2. “There is nothing you can do to change procedures”
Every employee likes to think that he or she can contribute in a positive way by suggesting an improvement in company procedures or suggesting a new idea that can lead to more profitability. As a boss, you must allow your employees to feel comfortable in approaching you with their ideas. Telling your employees that their suggestions are not welcome may deter them from approaching you even if they have a million dollar idea.
3. “You are here just because I haven’t fired you yet”
As a boss, you should never tell an employee that he or she is still working just because you haven’t fired him or her yet. Employees take encouragement from the fact that their bosses are watching their backs, and if you threaten your employees like this, they may lose confidence in you as their boss. Employees may also start to hate you if they start thinking that you can fire them any time.
4. “He/she does it better than you”
Don’t make the mistake of comparing him or her with a colleague. Comparisons can be very insulting and if you tell your employee that his or her colleague does a better job, it may hurt the employee’s morale. If you want your employee to do a better job, show him or her how to do it. Make your employees undergo training so that they can understand what it takes to do a good job.
